Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

The Government has unveiled their promised law and order crackdown. Section 27 reports and Labour's prison reduction targets have been thrown on the scrap heap, and sentencing discounts have been capped at 40 percent. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper approves of taxpayer-funded 'cultural reports' being brought down. "Doing away with the reports doesn't stop friends and family writing to the court or turning up at the courts- they can still do that. The offender can still have some sort of representation." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the US, a Michigan woman has become the first parent convicted of manslaughter over their child's shooting. Ethan Crumbley is serving life in prison for killing four classmates in 2021. Today his mother, Jennifer Crumbley, has been found guilty of negligence in letting her son have a gun, and ignoring warnings signs of his mental health. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says this case was the first to address who bears responsibility in a school shooting. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Activist and iwi leader Mike Smith has won the right to sue the likes of Fonterra for their role in causing climate change, in a Supreme Court ruling delivered this morning. He wants them to either stop polluting, or start bringing emissions down quickly. Greenpeace Executive Director Russel Norman says it means Fonterra may have to pay for some of the harm they're causing. "Climate pollution means more cyclones and more extreme weather events, that harms a lot of people. Currently they don't pay for that, but if this court case was successful- when it goes to court, then they'd have to pay." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

King Charles' cancer diagnosis is casting doubt on his future role. The Palace reports he will continue official duties until further notice. Sydney University Constitutional Law expert Anne Twomey says what duties he performs, remain within his control at this stage. But she says if he becomes incapacitated, decisions will move to his spouse Queen Camilla, two Parliamentary officials and two people from the court. "Amidst those five, if three of them decide that he's incapable of fulfilling his activities, he can have a regent. And then the regent can take over his powers." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm pleasantly surprised - aren’t you? - by how things went at Waitangi this year. There were no dildos, no mud, no manhandling, there were no ugly scenes and none of the stuff that many of us were probably expecting. Given what’s happened in the past, and how much more tense it was predicted to be this year, because of the Government's Māori related policies. Instead, things were handled exactly how they should always be handled, with conversation. The people responsible for the policies fronted up like grown ups to explain themselves and listen, and the people who weren’t happy about those policies let it be known. There were a couple of people who kinda let their teams down- Winston getting all het up wasn't that flash, Peeni Henare chose a bad turn of phrase, and Hone Harawira swearing like a school boy did him no favours. But otherwise, it was mostly fine. And I tell you what, it gives me some heart that we can actually get through this debate over the Treaty Principles Bill like adults. That has been the thing that has worried a lot of people the most. That yes, we absolutely need to talk about this, and we almost certainly need to change some things here. But getting to that point was what really worried me, because I thought things were going to be very ugly. Well, we’ve just had a demonstration that we can do it. That we can debate and challenge ideas without resorting to the violence that we have been warned will inevitably come. It doesn’t have to. If it didn’t happen at Waitangi, which is one of the most combustible political venues, then it doesn't have to happen And hopefully, based on what we saw this week, it won't. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's concerns the unemployment rate will rise more. Stats NZ released its labour market update for the December quarter today, with unemployment up to four percent. 3000 more people were unemployed than in the previous quarter, hitting 122,000. Employers and Manufacturers Association Advocacy head, Alan McDonald, says many members called them about restructuring and redundancies in late 2023. "That hasn't probably worked its way into those numbers yet, and that's what I think we'll see when the next quarter numbers come out for the start of this year." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has released a slew of law and order changes, in line with its 100-day plan. Cultural reports have been scrapped, alongside Labour's targets to reduce prison populations by 30 percent. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says their target is to reduce the number of people victimised by violent crime. "We're making it crystal clear to the whole system- we're on about public safety, not some arbitrary reduction in prison numbers. Which is important, the targets we set, the whole system- do matter." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Criticism of crowded Auckland school buses from worried North Shore parents. Video footage has shown a bus meant to carry about 40, appearing packed with about 100 kids. Some were standing on seat backs, grabbing a handrail. One mum, Evelyn Araujo, says just braking could be disastrous. "Students can stand on the bus, that's normal. What is not normal is having over 60 kids standing on the bus, tat's beyond ridiculous." Auckland Transport Operations Manager, Rachel Cara, says it's unacceptable - and they are fixing things right now. "At the moment, we're in conversations with operators around extra-large buses, if available, and looking to put on some extra services, if possible." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parking charges for some SUVs are set to triple, following a recent landmark vote. This is the latest move by Socialist Mayor Anne Hidalgo to make the city greener and friendlier to pedestrians and cyclists ahead of the Paris Olympics. The election had a low turnout - 5.7 percent - but over 54 percent of voters supported the change. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says these increased fees apply to cars weighing over 1.6 tonnes from outside the city. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, former Labour Chief of Staff Mike Munro and Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! It's been a fiery start to the Waitangi Day event, with protestors heckling Winston Peters and David Seymour and the new Government being called 'spiders' and 'a den of lions' by Kelvin Davis. Will this sway anybody in Government from their agenda? It's come to light that taxpayers paid $340 million to subsidise EV purchases, because the subsidy was so popular and the ute tax didn't bring in enough to pay for it all. Was that a waste of money or reason for celebration? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fletcher Building has delivered grim news of a $180 million dollar hit to accounts on two big projects. Costs for Auckland's International Convention Centre are up another $165 million, and a Wellington car park's tally has risen $15 million. The company's half-year results are due out next Wednesday. Jarden's Grant Swanepoel says this is the fourth concerning financial 'surprise' from Fletcher in the last 13 months. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister's speech seems to have done little to soothe anxieties at Waitangi. Chris Luxon and his delegation of National, ACT and New Zealand First MPs gave addresses at the Treaty Grounds today. Tensions are high over ACT's Treaty Principles Bill, which has coalition support to select committee stage. ZB senior political reporter Sophie Trigger says interestingly - Luxon's speech totally shied away from addressing the legislation. "I spoke to some attendees afterwards who didn't really feel like their concerns - in terms of threats to Te Tiriti and Te Reo - had been lessened in any way by what was said LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KiwiSaver providers are turning away from controversial companies, instead gravitating towards ethical ones. Data from Mindful Money shows several of the largest KiwiSaver providers have reduced their investment in companies with a harmful output. In the six months to September last year, there's been a 72 percent drop in investment in tobacco companies, a 35 percent reduction in weapons, and a 29 percent reduction in gambling. Mindful Money founder and CEO Barry Coates says most consumers want to make ethical choices. "Investments in tobacco companies, weapons, gambling, human rights violations, fossil fuels, etc- for most people, they don't want their money to go into those things." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis is stressing the importance of open discussion on the evening before Waitangi Day. The Government is facing anger and concern over the proposed Treaty Principles Bill, with David Seymour and Winston Peters being heckled during today's speeches. Nicola Willis says the gathering in Waitangi left room for a range of approaches- but most people have been peaceful. "There has been an attempt to understand each other, to listen, and to find those areas where we can make good progress. Over the past few days, I and other ministers have had hui with iwi, with a number of Māori entities." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Grammy's Song of the Year award has gone to Billie Eilish and Finneas - for the Barbie track 'What Was I Made For?'. Eilish has thanked director Greta Gerwig for making the best movie of the year. It's the pair's second songwriting award, after winning with 'Bad Guy' in 2020. KTLA entertainment correspondent Sam Rubin says it was a big night for the entertainment industry. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hawke's Bay leaders say they're in the dark on when money from a special Lotto appeal will be dished out. More than $10 million raised by the draw set up in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle has sat unspent with the Department of Internal Affairs for nearly a year. It expects there'll be action this month. Chair of the Hawkes Bay Fruitgrowers' Charitable Trust, Brydon Nisbet, says he didn't even know there was money available until early this morning. "There's still a huge amount of need out there, we're nearly a year since the cyclone and there's still a massive amount of work to do, there's still people who are displaced, that are homeless." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Plug-in hybrid owners look to be trying to swerve new Government Road User Charges. The exemption for electric vehicles ends from April, and light EV owners will pay $76 for every 1000 kilometres travelled. Owners of plug-in hybrids will pay $53, because they also pay tax on fuel. One plug-in owner, Peter Garlick, says he wants to remove its electric plug to avoid paying double taxes. "So, an about 120 kilometre round trip into Nelson- I get 15 of those Ks off the mains power, and the other 105 kilometres I'm using petrol. And I'm paying more road user taxes on that petrol already." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT leader David Seymour says the overwhelming majority of people at Waitangi were respectful during his address. The National Trust chair has apologised to Seymour, MP Nicole McKee and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters. All three were drowned out by jeers - and Pita Tipene says more effort should have been made to ensure they could express their views. Seymour says many were listening politely. "Unfortunately, it's one of those things where a small number of people ruined it for everyone. And it's really important to recognise this isn't all Māori who were doing this, this was a very small minority of people who don't represent much." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 15-year-old has been arrested and three other teenagers are on the run following the brutal stabbing of a 70-year-old woman. The woman, identified as Vyleen White, was attacked in a Queensland car park- and died shortly after the encounter. She had been shopping at the Town Square Redbank Plains shopping centre in Ipswich with her grandchild, who was unharmed. Australian correspondent Oliver Peterson says this has sparked discussion about the rise in youth crime, with people calling for harsher penalties. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand have been dismissed on the second day of the first cricket test against South Africa at Mount Maunganui. Rachin Ravindra top-scored with 240, but the last five wickets fell for 38 runs. Sportstalk host Jason Pine recaps the day's events. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing concerns younger teens are being targeted by vape marketing. An Auckland University study shows people aged 14-to-17 are more likely to see vaping ads than 18-to-20-year olds. Half of the 3500 in the study had been exposed through social media. Marketing professor, Bodo Lang, says more needs to be done to control messaging around vape products. "It's really been shown to be a very powerful entry drug for young people, particularly non-smokers to get them into vaping- and then potentially get into something else." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hotels in Queenstown are building their own staff accommodation to combat the housing shortage in the area. They say it is a gamechanger for recruiting staff in the industry. Board Member for Tourism Industry Aotearoa James Doolan told Heather Du Plessis-Allan that although it is a good idea, it is not sustainable across the whole industry. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) has announced the new National Concussion Guidelines for community sport. These include when a player suffers a concussion, they must have a minimum period of 21 days away from full competition. Sports Injury Research Expert Dr Doug King has said that people need to understand the severity of some head knocks that take place. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Aiken is one of the relationship experts on Married At First Sight, one of the people pairing up the brides and grooms and trying to help them build up a partnership. The desire to find a match and be in a romantic relationship is common, spawning a variety of reality shows based entirely on the premise, MAFS being one of many. The reason behind this, Aiken told Newstalk ZB’s Heather du Plessis-Allan, is that humans are wired to be with someone else. “The companionship, and the support, and the communication you can get from it.” “When you’re in an intimate relationship and you can have that, it’s very reassuring and grounding.” Reality TV known more for its drama than its forming of lasting relationships and Married At First Sight is no different, with only five relationships still intact after over 11 seasons. “You don’t really know whether they’re going to find the fairy tale or just blow up.” Aiken’s role as an expert is to hold a mirror up to people’s behaviour and give them the hard truths and feedback they need for the partnership to be a success. “When I look at them I’m not thinking about their personalities as in good or bad people, what I’m thinking about is their behaviours.” “What is gonna sabotage this, and what’s going to be better moving forward?” In the interview, Heather posed the question of how to know if when she’s quarrelling with her husband, if she’s the problem, he is, or if its both of them. “I guess you’ve got to look at the context.” Aiken said that you have to look at it over a period of time and ask who’s doing what. “You start to realize, well, this person's actually doing a lot more damage in the relationship than the other person who's not engaging in those behaviours.” Watching Married At First Sight is a bit of a commitment, taking about eight hours a week to watch all of the episodes. Aiken likes to think that viewers commit to it for educational purposes. “Singles watch it and they go, ‘I’ve got to avoid that person or that type’, and couples watch and they go, ‘we absolutely cannot talk like those two or behave like that.’” “You can learn what not to do by watching Married At First Sight.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greens co-leader hopeful Chloe Swarbrick is vowing to grow the party's caucus until it's big enough to lead the Government. The Auckland Central MP has announced her candidacy to replace James Shaw - who resigned this week - and will step back in March. Swarbrick told Heather du Plessis-Allan she sees herself contributing to a movement which turns the Greens into the major left party. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's asking for input as it looks to expand the Covid-19 Inquiry. It wants the panel to look into the use of lockdowns, socio-economic impacts and how much disruption was caused for business, education and healthcare. Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden told Heather du Plessis-Allan that they want to hear from people about the terms of reference. Engagement will begin in February, with details soon to be announced by the Royal Commission. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’ve been surprised by the number of people who still underestimate her I've had texts and in person conversations with people who don’t think she's got what it takes Yes she does Her winning Auckland central back in 2020 was a big deal. Even Jacinda Ardern, the darling of the left internationally, couldn't do it. She Tried twice and eventually pulled the pin. Not only Chloe win it, But she held the seat which is the something the greens have never managed to do before And she did it in the face of the red covid wave of 2020... and then the blue backlash wave of last year She regularly appeared in preferred prime minister polls, Which basically never happens for an MP in a minor party who isn’t the leader of that party A couple years back David Farrar the guy behind the curia polls pointed out how popular Chloe is. He said a poll he’d done "showed Swarbrick had three times the favourability of James Shaw with all voters – she was at 23 per cent and Shaw at 8 per cent". And that says a lot given James Shaw was commonly referred to as the acceptable Green Well... she’s a lot more acceptable So Chloe's got the chops, She can do the job and she’s made no secret today of the fact that she wants the greens to be bigger than Labour It's not crazy The greens in Germany have at times polled much higher than their Labour party equivalents. Can she do it here? I refer you back to David Farra who said this week “Chloe could well lift support for the Greens at the expense of Labour.” So strap yourself in because if Chloe gets the co leadership, and there is no reason why she shouldn't We are going to watch a fierce battle on the left of politics for top dog status Labour vs green Chippy vs Chloe And come on... if you’re a centre left voter... which of those two has more charisma? Which of those two parties look more energised? Don't underestimate Chloe SwarbrickSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The former First Minister of Scotland broke down in tears during the UK Covid-19 inquiry. Nicola Sturgeon told the Inquiry that she wished she wasn't in the role as the pandemic struck, amid the ongoing investigation into the Covid response. UK correspondent Enda Brady says the response to Sturgeon's statement has been mixed, with several labelling her address as 'crocodile tears'. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Kiwiblog editor and Curia pollster David Farrar and Ali Jones from Red PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Foreign Minister Winston Peters has expressed interest in joining up with AUKUS, and sharing defence technology with Australia, US and UK. Will this be good for New Zealand- or jeopardise relations with China? Some former police officers have recently claimed the fitness requirements to join the force are too tough- and they should be reduced to boost recruitment numbers? Is this a good idea? Woolworths has scrapped their Onecard program and replaced it with their Everyday Rewards scheme. Are these deals good value for money? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The streaming wars have kicked up a notch, as sports have become the newest area for companies to stake their claims. Disney has struck an exclusive deal with the NFL, and Netflix has formed a partnership with the WWE. Sam Dickie with Fisher Funds says this is just the beginning, as more companies will look towards streaming their sport-based output. "It's going to be primarily on these streaming giants or on apps that are owned by the sports themselves, much like the NZR+ app in New Zealand." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's two biggest farming-focused groups appear to be teaming up. Federated Farmers and noted protest group Groundswell are making conciliatory statements- and speculation indicates they could join together to be 'one voice' for rural New Zealand. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains this partnership. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The minimum wage is set to go up by 45 cents to $23.15, starting April 1. This two percent increase will affect between 80,000 and 140,000 Kiwi workers. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann says a reduced increase is the best circuit-breaker for the economy, as the fight to bring down inflation drags on. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A first combined Defence and Foreign Affairs Ministerial summit for New Zealand, across the Tasman. Winston Peters and Judith Collins have top-level meetings with their Australian counterparts, Penny Wong and Richard Marles, in Government buildings in Melbourne. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Winston Peters has a history of building international relationships and connections. "New Zealand has to be involved internationally at the moment, because we are in a very strategic part of the world at the moment." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing hope across the ditch that the RBA will cut interest rates soon. Australia's Official Cash Rate is currently at 4.35 percent, with reduced inflation data holding it in place. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Australia's Reserve Bank meets next week- and there's a high chance they'll reel the OCR back. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister-in-charge says the Government is striking the right balance on lifting the minimum wage. It's rising two percent from April to $23.15 an hour from $22.70- affecting up to 145,000 workers. Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden says it's about protecting the incomes of the lowest paid New Zealanders. "We're striking a balance between protecting the incomes of our lowest-paid workers in the economy- and also maintaining the labour market settings that encourage employment." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Woolworths have recently launched their Everyday Rewards scheme set to replace Onecards. This development comes as consumer advocates have voiced concerns about the returns on loyalty programs, encouraging consumers to shop around for deals. Woolworths Director of Digital and Loyalty, Mark Wolfenden, disagrees, claiming Everyday Rewards is 'very generous'. "It's part of our commitment to offering Kiwis more value and better ways to shop, and we've got a multi-million dollar increase in rewards as part of the new program." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's an exploratory Government mission across the ditch to find out more about AUKUS. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins have met with their Australian counterparts, Penny Wong and Richard Marles, in Melbourne. ZB political editor Jason Walls says they're specifically looking at pillar two of the Australia-UK-US security pact. "Pillar two is a sort of military, technology sharing agreement, which has been on the table for quite some time." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks’ 2024 schedule has been revealed, with 14 tests set for the upcoming season under new coach Scott Robertson. It opens with matches against England in Auckland and Dunedin, followed by a highly-anticipated clash clash against Fiji in San Diego. NZ Rugby boss Mark Robinson says the newly released schedule is part of a long-term plan to increase global interest in the sport. "We need to get cracking to build awareness as a global game in that market, and we need to make sure that the All Blacks, and Fiji for that matter, are seen as the most loved teams." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks are expected to cover a wide array of venues in the coming months. Five home All Blacks tests in 2024 will be played at three venues - Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin - with a test against Fiji to be played in San Diego. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An ex-cop says the police need to be more flexible about mandatory fitness if they're to attract more people. The Government is committed to training 500 new officers within two years. Former policeman Gavin Benney says the Physical Competency Test isn't fit for purpose. He says some people who'd make great cops may not be able to do some aspects - such as the wall climb. "Police are struggling to recruit suitable people. So they've limited themselves with people who can run, who can do that fitness test." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you listen to what Winston Peters is saying today, it sounds a hell of a lot like he’s keen to get us involved in AUKUS- the alliance between Australia, the UK and the US, which involves the Aussies buying those nuclear subs. Clearly, AUKUS is coming up in the discussions that he and Judith Collins are having with their counterparts over in Australia today. Now he was on Sky News this morning, and the host pointed out that Jacinda Ardern didn’t seem to love the idea of AUKUS, given that she reaffirmed NZ's ban on nuclear powered vessels and that that would definitely apply to the Aussie subs. And then the host asked Winston if he had a problem with them as well. And Winston said- "Well I don't know why you’re quoting the previous Prime Minister who gave up after all... but on these issues, the then-Prime Minister displayed an enormous lack of understanding or lack of clarity." Shots fired! But listen to what he’s saying, he disagrees with Jacinda and he sounds keen on AUKUS. And actually the more I read about it, the more I think I agree with him. Anyone who believes there is no reason for us to join an alliance like AUKUS needs to stop being naïve about what's happening in the world. If the risk of war was a temperature setting on an oven, the dial has been moved up quite a lot in just the last few weeks. Governments across Europe are warning of war. The Germans, the Swedes- the UK head of army spoke about maybe needing conscription, for goodness sake. Maybe they’re being alarmist for their own ends, but maybe they’re right. There are after all two significant wars going on at the moment in the Ukraine and the Middle East that could spiral with one ill-considered action. Never mind the considerable build up of Chinese warships and planes near Taiwan just in the last few days. There's a debate about whether AUKUS even wants us- maybe we’re getting ahead of ourselves asking to be included. But if they do want us, I think we should want them too. We need to get real about how worried Governments are about the world’s temperature right now. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Post-Brexit controls on food, plant and animal imports to Britain from the EU have recently come into force. Health certificates will now be required on goods ranging from produce, to meat, to even cut flowers. Industry experts warn these changes could create delays and push up costs- but some hope it will encourage UK farmers to be more competitive. UK correspondent Gavin Grey explains what these changes mean for the UK going forward. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, former NZ First Press Secretary Georgina Stylianou and Capital director Ben Thomas joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Mark Mitchell was forced to stand up and pretend he made a mistake by telling everyone it's going to take longer than promised to get the 500 new police officers. Did he make a good point? Who will be proven right in two years? An unfortunate recording of an exchange between an ex-prisoner and his Work and Income case manager has surfaced- is this an isolated incident or evidence of a concerning issue? The new recycling rules kick in on Thursday, February 1- how prepared are we? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ANZ has released their latest Business Confidence survey, creating a complicated picture for the economy. Business confidence rose 4 points to +37 in January, while expected own activity fell 3 points to +26. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says businesses are forecasting a clearer economic pathway following a tough couple of years- but we're not out of the woods yet. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has decided against scrapping a new regime aimed at preventing banks, insurers and non-bank deposit takers from mistreating customers. This Code of Conduct was established following a 2018 Royal Commission exposing questionable behaviour by Australian banks. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains why institutions were surprised by this 'inevitable' announcement. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The holidays have wound down and central banks are back in action- what can people expect for the new year? 2023 was dominated by rate hikes to curb rampant inflation generated by the Covid-19 pandemic, and now the focus has turned to the prospect of cuts. Milford Asset Management's Katlyn Parker says there's a risk the market is expecting too much too soon, as inflation is still sticky. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government are denying there's confusion around the proposed target to get 500 more police officers within two years. Police Minister Mark Mitchell has had to correct the record in the House, after saying the Government had extended its deadline to deliver 500 more cops. National and New Zealand First agreed to meet the goal in two years - but Mitchell previously stated they needed three, due to significant challenges. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Mark Mitchell was 'hung out to dry', as recruiting that many new officers remains an unrealistic goal. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air New Zealand has recently released a report designed to prove the company's economic significance to Aotearoa. The company claims it directly contributed $2.7 billion to New Zealand's economy- including $1.4 billion in wages. The report also states Air New Zealand facilitated as much as $26 billion in economic activity across tourism, exports and imports. Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Mat Bolland says this report was designed to remind employees and customers of the value Air New Zealand provides. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new documentary series explores an infamous set of disappearances around one of New Zealand's most dangerous beaches. As well as the six missing people who vanished in Piha, Black Coast Vanishings reveals others have had 'near misses'- fuelling speculation there's a serial killer in the area. Co-director Candida Beveridge says the series was designed to give a voice to concerns about the safety of the community. "What surprised us is what came out during the investigation- women being stalked, women being terrified in the bush. That, we felt, needs investigation." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A push to host more women's sport and big music artists has seen Eden Park have a record breaking year. In the 12 months to the end of October, the Auckland stadium recorded a net operating profit of $8.2 million- a $4.6 million increase on the previous year. Large-scale events like the FIFA Women's World Cup and Ed Sheeran concerts were big draw cards for patrons. CEO Nick Sautner says it's been an incredible turnaround over the past five years. "Women's sport was seen as a curtain-raiser and concerts weren't permitted. It's a credit to the trustees and our staff, who have worked with the community with various stakeholders to deliver this outstanding outcome." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.